And Shell found ‘slight oil shows’ in the Blacon East area in 1981 leading former Cheshire West and Chester councillor Arthur Harada to ask ‘is the well now suitable’ given oil price rises.

Wirral Council remains ‘completely opposed’ to fracking.

But Cheshire West and Chester Council leader Mike Jones, in his role as chairman of the Local Government Association’s environment and housing board, took a different approach, arguing local communities should receive a greater share of gas extraction profits.

Cllr Jones said: “We believe that the benefits being offered to local areas need to be more substantial than the 1% of revenue currently being proposed.

“This is something we will now be looking to discuss with government.”